Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1887-08-17

off the gun. When we landed the dead
bodies were taken to the White House.
Captain Stockton was dreadfully cut up
about the accident, as the Princeton and her
guns were his pets. The court of inquiry
cleared him of blame, but he never got over
it, even after he was made a commodore.
ILLINOIS FIRST GOVERNOR.
Illinois, the fourth-possibly the third
State in population and material prosperi-
ty, has reached the SEVENTEEN year of its
history.
Of its 3,5OO,OOO inhabitants, compare
lively few perhaps realize that at the be-
ginning of the century nearly its whole
territory was in possession of the Indians.
A government fort here and there, and
in the southern portion few struggling
settlements, was all that redeemed the
whole region from being a complete wild
erness.
For some years prior to 1909 it constitu-
ted part of the territory of Indiana, but
at the date mentioned the territory of H.
linois was organized, and in the year 1872
sent its first delegate to congress. The
name of this delegate was Shadrach Bond,
strong, sensible, vigorous pioneer in the
prime of life.
He was born in Frederick county, Mary
land, in 1773, where he spent his earlier
years on his fathers farm and meantime
acquired plain English education.
In 1894 young Bond, having just come OF
age, emigrated to the Illinois country and
lived for time with his uncle. Shadrach
Bond, Sr., who had made home in the
American Bottom, Kaskaskia. At Alton,
ILL.,, the bluffs on the east side of the Mis-
sissippi recede from the river and do not
approach it again till the mouth Of the
Kaskaskia is reached at Chester. Between
the bluffs and river there is thus left a
level strip of country, varying from ten to
fifteen miles in breadth, with deep, rich,
black soil of exceeding fertility and named
by the early settlers the American Bot
tom.
Here lived at the beginning of the CEN
tury perhaps three-fourths of the inhabi-
tants of the country that to-day comprises
the state of Illinois.
AS the French were the earliest settlers
their unique customs and simple habits
were impressed upon and to some degree
followed by the Americans who came later
and gradually peopled the Bottom.
All kinds of heavy work, as harvesting,
house raising, etc., was done in common.
No one expected pay for work in the
harvest field, and if a neighbor was strick-
en- with sickness his friends gathered in
and did up his work. Flax was one of the
crops raised and was ready for pulling at
the same time the wheat fields rlpened.
AS the girls pulled flax it often happened
that the young of both sexes from whole
neighborhood congregated at the same
farm house in harvest time.
or nd
reaphooks by the younger men, while the
bound sheaves were gathered up and put
in shocks by the old men and boys.
At noon time all came in for dinner,
when, first of all young and old, male and
female, went to the spring and washed
hands and feet, for nearly every one was
gathered round the heavily laden table
That was spread and waiting in the yard
under the shade trees The table had been
improvised by laying loose boards-fre.
quently those that made up the sides and
bottom of the wagon body-upon cross
pieces, that in turn rested upon the forked
ends of stakes driven in the ground
These boards were brushed and secured
till they were clean, when the dishes thai
had been gathered from all over the
nighborhood were put upon them. The
hearty harvesters, male and female, gath
ed around this rude table and were seated
upon benches, rails and slabs. The most
venerable man at the table asked bless
ing and very soon thereafter drank glass
of rum, several bottles of which made 6
part of every feast.
While yet young man Bond was chos
en- to the legislature of Indiana, of which
Illinois then formed part. In 1872, a.
before mentioned, he was sent to Wash
ington as the first delegate from Illinois
territory to the national congress. Here
he succeeded in getting an act passed by
which settlers were enabled to pre-empt
the land upon which they had located and
made improvements. Hitherto every.
thing relating to lands had been In cha
otic state, and no one knew what moment
he would be driven from his new home
About 1914 Bond moved to Kaskaskis
and became the owner of a large farm neal
that place. For some years previous tC
this he had lived on fine farm in what is
now Monroe county.
In 1918 Shadrach Bond was chosen the
first governor of the vigorous young state
of Illinois that had just been admitted
into the Union. His popularity and many
sterling traits of character enabled him to
reach this high place without opposition.
In this sudden transition of Illinois from a
territory to statehood many important
measures came up for consideration, and
great were the responsibilities thrown
upon the shoulders Of the executive, but
everything was met with characteristic
promptness and determination on the part
of Governor Bond.
After serving one gubernatorial term
Bond was appointed register of the land
office at Kaskaskia, where he continued
till old age overlook him, still discharging
the duties of the office to the satisfaction of
all concerned. He died April II, 1884,
with the love and respect of every one
that knew him. Bond county in Southern
Illinois perpetuates his name. In its ear
lier history this county was very large,
and embraced much territory that has
since been organized into other counties.
To-day it is one of the smaller counties,
but within its borders the pioneer in the
beginning of the century was called upon
to face many dangers. One incident illus
trative of this truth we will give: In 1911
family of the name of Cox lived on Shoal
creek, not far from the present village of
Pocahontas. This same year, on the End
day of June the family, save young man
and girl, had occasion to be away from
home, when party of Indians suddenly
rushed upon the cabin, killed the young
man, and after mangling his body left it
upon the floor, and carried off the girl,
together with some horses.
A pursuing party numbering eight per.
sons was soon made up, of which Colonel
Pruit was captain and Henry Cox and Ben
Cox members. The Indians were over
taken about fifty miles north of Spring
field, when, according to one narrator, a
sort of "bashful fight" ensued, and in the
excitement which attended this the young
girl broke away from her captors and ran
toward the whites. But while she was
fleeing an Indian flung tomahawk at her,
inflicting a severe wound in the hip. She,